Responsible Email Practices

Responsible e-mail marketing

Responsible e-mail marketing is how you avoid common pitfalls that come from doing e-mail marketing, including breaking the law ... being banned from hosting service providers ... and making lots of enemies. No one likes SPAM


What is responsible e-mail marketing?

A responsible campaign involves carrying out e-mail marketing by following certain basic guidelines, from obtaining e-mail lists to sending out the mailings. Permission based e-mail marketing or opt-in e-mail marketing can also be termed as responsible e-mail marketing but not to that extent.


Permission based e-mail marketing versus responsible e-mail marketing

Permission based e-mail marketing as the name suggests involves asking permission from the recipients of the e-mail before sending them any e-mails. But there are some basic points to be followed for a permission based e-mail marketing campaign to be termed as responsible e-mail marketing.

Permission based e-mail marketing should involve:

1. Obtaining e-mail addresses by legitimate means like opt-ins

2. Sending e mails with a functional opt-out link that immediately deletes the e-mail address from your database

3. Processing un-subscription requests immediately

4. Providing valid contact information and proper signatures with every e-mail

5. Sending e-mails following a specific frequency at all times

Permission based e-mail marketing should NOT involve:

1. Collecting e-mail lists from e-mail vendors or by using e-mail software programs

2. Sending e-mails with porn or potentially damaging materials (e.g., viruses and spyware)

3. Sending e-mails with false headers that may create obstacles in tracking the mail

4. Sending e-mails with false IP addresses

5. Sending e-mails that do not have a reverse DNS lookup with the domain name

6. Sending e-mails with misleading subject lines and mail content

7. Sending e-mails from a computer that you do not have access or approval to use

Only permission based or opt-in e-mail marketing that have the above approved qualities can be considered as responsible e-mail marketing.


How to collect e-mail addresses to carry out responsible e-mail marketing campaigns

Buying e-mail lists from e-mail vendors is an easy thing to do, but is not recommended. The best way to collect e-mail addresses is by providing opt-in boxes at your website, advertising in related ezines, websites, forums and blogs.

Some points to bear in mind when gathering e-mail addresses using opt-in boxes:

1. Never provide pre-checked opt-in boxes

2. Never make your customers check the boxes by fake means

3. Make the opt-in and opt-out processes as easy as possible

4. Never ask for too many personal details

5. Tell your customers what they will get (home e-mails and how ofter) when they opt-in

6. Offer incentives

7. Provide a "mail to others" or "tell your friends" button

8. Have a privacy policy at your website, like to it, and stick to it

9. Provide clear un-subscription instructions


Single opt-in and Double opt-in. Which is best?

Single opt-in e-mails are those that do not require a re-confirmation. For instance, a user clicks on a check box and is automatically added to your subscription list.

A double opt-in e-mail requires the e-mail recipient to reconfirm that they actually want to receive your e-mails. Only after reconfirmation is the recipient added to your subscription lists.

For instance, after the user clicks on a subscription check box, the user receives a reconfirmation e-mail. Only if the user replies to the e-mail, or clicks a link in the e-mail, will the user be added to your subscription list. The best way to carry out your responsible e-mail campaign is use the double opt-in method.

Benefits of responsible e-mail marketing

Responsible e-mail marketing has many benefits when compared to bulk e-mail marketing, including:

1. Since responsible e-mail requires you to ask for prior permission before sending e-mails, the chances of your e-mail being termed SPAM becomes negligible

2. Responsible e-mails will help you create long-term relationships with your clients

3. You will be viewed as a professional and ethical emailer

4. Responsible e-mails should be personalized and highly targeted thus improving the probability of the recipient actually opening and reading the e-mail

5. Response rates will generally be higher

Although responsible e-mail marketing may appear to be a difficult proposition, it will benefit you in many more ways than mentioned above. And, responsibile e-mail marketing will help you abide by the Can-Spam guidelines passed by the Federal government and the various local and state laws and regulations.